Comox Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) was busy over the weekend with two call outs for support for the BC Ambulance service (BCEHS).
Volunteers were assisting outdoor enthusiasts including a hiker who sustained injuries while hiking at Therriault Falls near Rosewall Creek on Aug. 24.
The hiker, visiting from Vancouver, was on a solo venture along the popular but rugged trail when he slipped and injured himself and then used his cell phone to call for assistance.
Paul Berry of the Comox Valley Search and Rescue says his team received a call shortly after 4 p.m. about the hiker, indicating he either had a broken or dislocated shoulder and wasn’t able to walk out.
“We responded with both ground teams and air teams and attempted to locate the subject by air in hopes that we could do a long line rescue from that location,” said Berry.
Rescuers quickly found that the area wasn’t accessible by air but the helicopter did drop in search volunteers utilizing a long-line.
“So it meant moving the subject further downstream to a location where the helicopter could access. However the movement was going to take much longer than the daylight that we had left,” he said.
A second helicopter was then dispatched from North Shore Search and Rescue to conduct a night-hoist operation.
“North Shore is the only volunteer search and rescue team in the province at the this point that is operating with night vision capability and so they're a busy team. They're busy enough in their own area, but also supporting teams like us when we have a situation like this,” said Berry.
CVSAR, supported by Campbell River SAR and 49 North Helicopters, attempted a long-line helicopter rescue. However, due to difficult terrain and approaching darkness, the helicopter was forced to return to base.
As always, plans B and C came into play. Additional crews from Arrowsmith SAR (Parksville/Qualicum) were requested, along with a night-hoist operation supported by North Shore Rescue through the Emergency Coordination Centre.
Fourteen team members were initially on the rescue but a second page went out for more volunteers as a backup in case the helicopter extraction wasn’t possible.
In the end the injured man did get relocated downstream and was then prepared for hoisting. He was flown to the Qualicum Airport where he was transferred to an awaiting ambulance.
Search volunteers hiked out of the area back to the main staging area and arrived back at the hall to clean and restock gear shortly before 2 a.m.
The Rosewall Creek incident was the second tasking for volunteers over the weekend. On Saturday afternoon they were called to locate and assist a female mountain biker who had crashed and sustained a suspected pelvic fracture. She was riding with her family and unable to walk. CVSAR medical staff treated her before moving her by stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
